Gongsi restaurant brings traditional Chinese flavours to your table

Gongsi (公司) restaurant is a local Chinese restaurant in Betong district, Yala province, famous for its rare and various menus and friendly price, which no need to go to a luxury eatery. Where does the ‘Konsi’ word come from?

Firstly, Yala province is known as one of the three southern border provinces, popular for its terrorism area. However, nowadays it is safer to visit more than other people's view. Yala is also a province with rich, abundant nature and diverse cultures, including local culinaries people are still not familiar with.

Gongsi restaurant is a two-story commercial building located in the street food area of the Betong municipal area, Yala province, and it is an original restaurant of Gwong-Sai (Chinese immigrants).

As it is rare culinary to find, Betong district has many well-known menus such as Betong steamed rice topped with chicken, Kiu Nyu (stewed pork belly with pickled mustard green), and stir-fried watercress. Here Gongsi restaurant is ready to serve you culinary delight.

The word ‘Gongsi’ was originally used to refer to the Chinese people’s ownership of their businesses while having many workers to look after. The way of taking care of the employees whether food or basic needs was called “sì gōng sī (食公司)” meaning “food company,” and that is the story of Kongsi.

The owner of Gongsi restaurant, Kantakanit Pajithananun, said that the restaurant was inspired by her mother. In the past, she usually cooked and had a Gwong-Sai meal with her kids together as a big family. However, when the kids grew up and had their future, the nostalgic atmosphere gradually faded away.

Finally, Pajithananun decided to open her Chinese restaurant because it is difficult to find these kinds of menus in Betong. In addition, when people want to try these foods, they have to go to the luxurious eateries only, cutting the chance for low-income people to try them.

The restaurant proudly presents visitors with the original menus: Gongsi pork marinated in sauce (Mother’s recipe), stuffed tofu, ginger steamed fish, meatballs, Kiu Nyu (stewed pork belly with pickled mustard green), steamed minced pork with salted egg, stir-fried bean sprouts, grilled pork potatoes, and curry noodles.

The signature dish at this restaurant is the "Gongsi pork marinated in sauce", a secret recipe passed down from the owner's mother. The recipe, created by the mother, has been enjoyed by the family and has become a favourite due to its distinctive flavour. As a result, it has become a popular dish among both Thai customers and Malaysian tourists.

The dish includes "stuffed tofu," which is made with minced pork, Chinese chives, and either Clown knifefish or Spanish mackerel. The tofu used here is unique to Betong, as it is larger than the regular tofu, which is why it’s called “Tofu Pok (stuffed tofu).” This is a traditional dish of the Cantonese people.
 

Additionally, the restaurant offers "Kiu Nyu (stewed pork belly with pickled mustard green)," a dish typically served at Chinese restaurants. The restaurant decided to offer it as well, allowing customers to enjoy authentic Chinese food at an affordable price. While it is usually priced at 450–500 baht at restaurants, the dish is offered here for only 60 baht or 120 baht per serving for larger groups.

Another dish on the menu is "Stir-fried Pickled Radish with Pork", which combines pickled radish with pork and egg. This is a rare and traditional Chinese dish. Also available is "Mee Kang (curry noodles)", a dish made with pumpkin and pork ribs, or sometimes potatoes as a substitute for the pumpkin, depending on the day. It is often eaten with thin noodles (Mee Hoon) by the Chinese community in Betong and Malaysia, which is why it is called "Mee Kang." All these dishes are traditional home-style meals of the Chinese in Betong.